Syria: Car bomb explosion kills 7, wounds several in Deraa

A handout photograph released by Syria's national news agency SANA March 3, 2012, shows a blast site where a suicide bomber killed two people and wounded several others in the southern Syrian town of Deraa on Saturday, the Syrian state news agency Sana said. (Reuters Pictures)

AMMAN (Reuters) - An explosion killed seven people and wounded several others in the southern Syrian town of Deraa on Saturday, residents said, in what the Syrian government said was a suicide car bomb attack.

"At least seven people were killed and another eight injured. They happened to be next to the car when it exploded," Saed Jawabra, a Deraa resident said.

Residents said a white Kia car exploded in a park near a military checkpoint in the town's Rawda district, shattering windows in the area and leaving a huge crater.

"A terrorist suicide bomber on Saturday detonated a car he was driving," the Syrian state news agency Sana said, reporting two people had been killed and 20 wounded.

Opposition activists in Deraa denied the explosion was caused by a suicide bomber but did not give an explanation for the attack.

"The explosion shook the whole town and ambulances rushed shortly after. We heard heavy gunfire after that," said Deraa resident Mahmoud Masalmeh.

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